Kona (Page 2)

I've been to Kauai (boring) and Oahu (okay, a bit cliche), but the Big Island is the BEST!  I love that place.  I have never enjoyed a vacation as much.  There are so many things to do and I think lava rock and black sand beat a perfect white sand beach any day.   I know a lot of people are disappointed by the barren landscape when they land in Kona, but I was mesmerized from minute zero.   It has tropical areas, too, although that's not all. 

This is why I wouldn't want to go for a race - there's just too much to do!   The only icky part we found was Hilo.   That's a very sad little town.

The other nice thing about the Big Island is that one can actually afford to buy a home there.   You can't get a studio apartment that's falling down on Oahu for the same price as a decent two-bedroom house on the big island.  As long as you're cool with the risk of lava flows, that is.   I already have the area picked out where I'd want to live (near Punalu'u and the black sand beach..)